Issues: Purging Abraham, Robinson and Turner gave GM Thomas Dimitroff needed salary cap leeway. If Gonzalez can be coaxed into another season, which seems increasingly likely, then he'll also need a new contract. Baker shook the injury bug to have a solid 2012 season, and it's more important to secure Matt Ryan's blind side than to replace Turner. The defense's bend-but-don't-break style last season was effective, especially given the Falcons' propensity for forcing turnovers, and re-signing Pro Bowl safety William Moore is an obvious plus. But combating the pass continues to be Atlanta's postseason Waterloo.

Our advice: Gonzalez now appears to be backing away from retirement. Losing him would be a major blow, but his decision will greatly affect the club's approach to the remainder of free agency and the draft. Baker or an even better alternative — perhaps Sebastian Vollmer or Jermon Bushrod — should be the next priority with Svitek an emergency option. The ground game can get by with a Jacquizz Rodgers-led committee and be more effective than last season's 29th-ranked attack. The Falcons can replace steady McClure with sophomore Peter Konz. They might need to go after Osi Umenyiora or Dwight Freeney to replicate Abraham's pressure, and Grimes is worth a one-year prove-it deal coming off last year's Achilles' injury. But Dimitroff will probably have to hold onto some of his bankroll knowing Ryan will soon be in line for a megadeal.

Issues: The D-line could use fresh interior beef. The secondary needs a makeover. It'd be nice to have an heir apparent to aging No. 1 wideout Steve Smith. But new GM Dave Gettleman's hands are fiscally tied. Besides, given his background with the New York Giants, it seems unlikely he'd spend freely on the market even if he could.

Our advice: Trade tailback DeAngelo Williams. He makes too much money to basically be a spare part since the Panthers have never figured out to make him mesh with quarterback Cam Newton. Yes, Williams will be 30 next season, but he's also fairly fresh after averaging just 152 touches since 2010. He's a luxury that could bring cap relief, picks or players if Gettleman can find a team willing to take on at least a chunk of Williams' remaining contract (he's owed $28 million over the next three years). Dealing Jon Beason could be another discussion given Luke Kuechly has taken over at middle linebacker, Beason's preferred post. However his injury history (and another weighty contract) could make him a tougher sell than Williams. Bottom line, shedding older quality for younger quantity is a good long-term route for Carolina if Gettleman can make it happen.

Issues: The first matter on GM Mickey Loomis' radar entering the offseason, after reuniting with reinstated coach Sean Payton anyway, was lopping more than $13 million from the team payroll to satisfy the cap. Loomis will need to create even more room to re-sign Bushrod. Finally, new coordinator Rob Ryan is changing the Saints to a 3-4 defense, and that will surely create some personnel challenges. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma already appears to be on the back side of his career and was traded from the New York Jets back in 2008 because he was poorly suited to the scheme.

Our advice: This team is more reliant on its quarterback than most, so protecting Drew Brees is of paramount importance. Bushrod is a dependable player if not an elite one, but he's also been effectively watching Brees' back since 2009. It only makes sense for Bushrod and the Saints to compromise on a fair deal to keep the offense humming. The revamped defense will surely move on from longtime starters Ellis and Shanle, and the fates of Vilma and defensive end Will Smith remain unknown. We'd suggest (and expect) Ryan brings in players familiar with his philosophy. Besides, why not move on from defenders who were part of a unit that easily allowed the most yards (7,042) in NFL history last season?

Issues: If they fix a league-worst pass defense, watch out. An ascending offense should only benefit from the healthy returns of Pro Bowl guards Carl Nicks and Davin Joseph. The run defense topped the charts in 2012. But after trading Aqib Talib last November, it's clear the Bucs need better cornerback play and improved pass rush to keep opposing quarterbacks from skewering them.

Our advice: GM Mark Dominik shelled out $140 million worth of contracts a year ago to get Nicks, wideout Vincent Jackson and cornerback Eric Wright. Now Dominik has another $30 million of cap space at his disposal and should target a replacement for Talib. The options are plentiful: Sean Smith, Keenan Lewis, Antoine Cason, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Chris Houston, Grimes, Robinson and more. Barber, who will be 38 this year, doubtless has a few more big plays left in him and probably won't play anywhere else; he's worth another year given it shouldn't cost much. The D-line should get better pressure with injured end Adrian Clayborn coming back. With Bennett looking for long-term security, Dominik might be better off pursuing veteran sack artists such as Freeney, Umenyiora, Abraham or Israel Idonije. Clark and Miller are worth plugging back into the roster assuming they're willing to plug into Dominik's budget.